The God of War Who Protects the Nation: Starting with Saving a Mother and Daughter in Distress

The days after returning to the capital were so peaceful that Qin An felt somewhat dazed.

The sword fights on the front lines seem like a thing of the past.

Even with his eyes closed, he could still see Zhang Xu's figure leaning against the pile of corpses, and hear the shouts of his five thousand brothers covering the rear.

Because he had experienced those days, he cherished the peace he had now even more.

But within this tranquility, there is always a subtle emptiness, like a still pond that needs something to stir it.

Li Qingwan and Shan Bing clearly noticed this.

They filled his emptiness in a more direct way.

She pestered him day and night.

Since that night when they exchanged clothes, the subtle barrier between Li Qingwan and Shan Bing completely disappeared.

The two really did seem like sisters, their teamwork becoming more and more seamless, like comrades who had practiced countless times.

Shan Bing still liked Qin An's rough and tumble style and enjoyed it immensely.

Under Shan Bing's influence, Li Qingwan gradually opened up and became less reserved and timid than before.

Even Jin Ping benefited from their good fortune.

The days passed by in this way, peaceful yet with a touch of wildness.

……

On this day, Qin An was on leave when the gatekeeper rushed in to report: "General, Miss Li has arrived, and she's brought that young man from last time with her."

Qin An breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing that Li Zhaoning had come again, and quickly said, "Please invite them in."

A moment later, Li Zhaoning led Li Xuanfu into the main hall.

Today, Li Zhaoning wore a lotus-root-colored dress and a simple silver hairpin in her hair. She had no makeup on, yet her temperament was still outstanding.

Li Xuanfu followed behind her, his eyes lighting up at the sight of Qin An. He broke free from his sister's grasp and ran over, grabbing Qin An's waist and tilting his head back, mumbling, "Master...Master!"

Qin An patted the back of his head and said to Li Zhaoning with a smile, "Please sit down, Miss Li."

Li Zhaoning did not sit down immediately, but glanced at Qin An with a complicated expression before slowly taking her seat.

In fact, ever since Qin An uttered those words that the Yuwen family might misunderstand, she had no desire to associate with Qin An anymore.

But Li Zheng sent a message instructing him to win over Qin An at all costs.

This gave Li Zhaoning some ideas.

I came here this time with the intention of verifying some information.

She had been a little worried that Qin An would turn her away like last time, but to her surprise, he not only saw her this time, but his attitude was unusually warm.

This made her even more certain of her suspicions.

"General Qin, I apologize for the intrusion." Li Zhaoning's voice was still gentle, but there was a hint of probing in her tone. "This child from Xuanfu has been talking about coming to see his master every day at home, and I really can't persuade him otherwise."

"It's alright." Qin An picked up his teacup, his tone casual. "I also promised to teach him, and I always keep my promises."

Li Xuanfu couldn't wait any longer. He grabbed Qin An's sleeve and dragged him into the courtyard, crying, "Master... teach... teach me!"

Qin An smiled, stood up and said, "Let's go, let's see what your background is like first."

The three of them went to the backyard, where Qin An had Li Xuanfu assume a horse stance.

Although this kid isn't very bright, he's physically strong. He can stand firmly in a horse stance without his legs shaking or his waist collapsing, and his breathing is natural.

Qin An then had him practice a few basic boxing stances, and Li Xuanfu learned each move extremely quickly, almost without needing to be taught a second time.

"He is indeed very talented," Qin An said to Li Zhaoning beside him, "but his foundation is not solid yet. Teaching him advanced skills now would only harm him. Let him practice horse stance for half an hour every day to stabilize his lower body before we talk about anything else."

Li Xuanfu nodded obediently, not finding it boring, and squatted in the horse stance in a very serious manner.

Qin An stood to the side, occasionally reaching out to adjust his posture, but mostly just watching.

Li Zhaoning sat down on the stone bench next to her brother, and a tender look appeared in her eyes as she looked at her brother’s serious expression.

After a moment, she suddenly spoke, her voice very low: "General Qin, why are you willing to see us again this time?"

Qin An did not turn his head, his gaze remaining fixed on Li Xuanfu, his tone as calm as if he were discussing the weather: "This is Prime Minister Yuwen's intention."

Li Zhaoning's eyes flickered slightly, and the vague guess in her heart gradually became clearer.

She spoke softly, but with a hint of certainty in her voice: "General Qin, is there... something between you and my second brother?"

Qin An glanced at her sideways, neither admitting nor denying, but simply shifted his gaze back to Li Xuanfu and said calmly, "Press the horse stance down another half inch."

Li Zhaoning then stopped asking.

Some things are better left unsaid.

Qin An's lack of denial was seen by her as tacit agreement.

She took a deep breath, and the weight that had been pressing on her heart for days finally eased a little, making her tone lighter.

"I heard the fighting is fierce at the front; General Zhang was killed in action?"

"Hmm." Qin An's voice remained calm, but there was a hint of unseen heaviness in his tone. "He stayed behind to cover the retreat, and all five thousand men were wiped out."

Li Zhaoning was silent for a moment, then spoke, her voice no longer tentative as before, but serious and focused.

"I have carefully analyzed the battle report before. General Zhang chose the wrong place. Although the terrain of Black Mountain City is easy to defend and difficult to attack, it is surrounded by mountains on three sides. Once it is surrounded, it will be a dead end."

"He should retreat to the northwest, where there is a canyon. Although it is difficult to traverse, it has at least multiple exits, making it less likely for him to be completely trapped."

Qin An turned his head and looked at her with some surprise.

Li Zhaoning continued, "Moreover, although Dou Xia's rebel army is deeply loved by the people, it has a major weakness: its supply lines are too long."

"If we had been able to cut off his food supply from the flank, he wouldn't have been able to hold out for more than a few days, no matter how many troops he had. Unfortunately, the court's intelligence was always a step behind, and the generals at the front were not familiar with the terrain in the north."

Qin An remained silent for a while before speaking, "Miss Li, where did you learn all this?"

Li Zhaoning smiled slightly: "My second brother has a map of the northern terrain in his study, which marks all the cities and mountains. I looked at it for a long time and also heard my second brother talk about the front-line battles. Although I don't know how to fight on the battlefield, I can still talk about it on paper."

Qin An shook his head, his tone carrying a hint of sincere emotion.

"You're not just talking theory; your idea of ​​cutting off the Douxia grain route is exactly the same as what I thought when I was on the front lines."

Li Zhaoning's eyes lit up for a moment, then she regained her composure, but she couldn't suppress the smile on her lips.

She had a strong interest in military strategy and tactics since she was a child, but because she was a girl, no one had ever listened to her talk about these things seriously.

At this moment, being recognized by Qin An, I felt a sense of satisfaction I had never felt before.

"General Qin, if you have the chance in the future, please tell me more about what's happening at the front."

She brushed a stray hair from her temple, her gaze falling on Qin An, her voice softening slightly.

"Although I can't fight on the front lines, having more people means having more brains, and maybe I can really be of help."

The two sat on the stone bench in the backyard and talked about everything from the terrain at the front to the movements of the rebels, from the art of war to the methods of training troops.

Li Zhaoning spoke with composure and insightful views. Occasionally, she would ask a question, and Qin An's answer would always make her eyes light up.

Qin An also saw a military mind hidden deep within the inner chambers of a noble family in her words, and couldn't help but feel a sense of mutual respect.

Before we knew it, the sun was blazing and the heat was unbearable.

Li Xuanfu stood in a horse stance in the courtyard for half an hour, but finally couldn't hold on any longer. He sat down on the ground with his head tilted back and cried out that he was tired.

After receiving instructions from Yuwen Huaji, Qin An had no need to worry about anything and warmly entertained Li Zhaoning and her brother.

Since Li Xuanfu was going to practice weapons with Qin An in the afternoon, Li Qingwan was not in a hurry to leave.

After lunch, we stayed in the guest quarters to rest.

Li Zhaoning lay on the couch in the guest courtyard, but couldn't fall asleep no matter what.

It was that familiar guest room again, and she couldn't help but recall her last experience.

The scene she witnessed while staying overnight at the Qin residence was etched into her mind, impossible to erase no matter what she did.

Qin An's muscular body kept flashing through her mind, making her cheeks grow hotter and hotter.

She turned over, closed her eyes, and tried to banish the images from her mind.

But the more I try to forget, the clearer those images become.

She even began to imagine what it would feel like if she were the one being held in Qin An's arms.

The thought made her suddenly open her eyes, sit up, and her face burn as if it were on fire.

She took a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself down.

For some reason, her feet seemed to be pulled by something, and she stood up, pushed open the door, and walked along the corridor toward Qin An's bedroom.

Before I even reached the bedroom door, that familiar voice drifted over from afar.

Like last time, it was indistinct, yet clearer than before.

Upon hearing this noise, Li Zhaoning was momentarily stunned. He didn't have high expectations for retracing his steps.

After all, everyone drank quite a bit last time, so it's understandable that they might have engaged in lewd behavior during the day.

But today, no one drank alcohol, and this still happened.

This made Li Zhaoning involuntarily sigh, "General Qin's energy is really a bit too abundant. Is he really that insatiable?"

If Qin An knew what Li Zhaoning was thinking, he would definitely cry out that he was wronged.

In fact, although he was indeed very energetic, he was not a man who did not know how to control himself.

After all, they weren't on the battlefield anymore, and he wasn't as repressed as before; he could release his emotions at any time.

However, Li Qingwan and Shan Bing were desperate for a child due to the pressure brought by Yang Yuyan, whose arrival was uncertain.

Qin An, naturally, couldn't resist their persistent pleading and had no choice but to grant them this small wish.

Upon realizing there was movement, Li Zhaoning told herself that she should leave.

But as if possessed, she quietly approached the window.